Manufacture of corrugated paper cartons



June 8, 1937- M. H. SIDEBOTHAM MANUFACTURE OF CORRUGATED PAPER CARTONSFiled Jul 29, 1935 ATTORNEY .Patented June 8, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE MANUFACTURE or CORRUGATED PAPER CABTONS Melvin n. Sidebotham,

signor to Specialty A pany, Medford, Mass West Newton, Mass, astomaticMachine .Com- .a corporation Application July 29, 1935, Serial No.33,624 16 Claims. (CI. 93-49) cured tape, or wire stitching or otherknown methods.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, the common practice in eflecting theproduction of such cartons has been to cut blanks to the required size,then put said blanks through a slotting and scoring-machine, after that,the slotted and scored blanks are folded by hand or, in rare instances,

folded and taped by a machine.

Machines of a prior type which fold on scored blanks have not been acommercial success because of the difliculty in registering the foldingmechanism to the previously made scores in the blanks. The stifi natureof the blanks and in the case of corrugated blanks their structuralformation opposes bending which results in the edges of fillile blanks,when folded, being out of straight One of the objects of my presentinvention is to efiect rapid production of paper cartons by a sequenceof operations, comprising the feeding of a paper blank to a can-ier,printing the 'blank, slotting, scoring, folding and then taping theabutting edges of the folded blank.

- Another object of my invention is to produce a machine that willeflect rapid production of paper cartons by a sequence of operations, inwhich the folding is effected by starting the folding operation whilethe mechanism for longitudinal scoring is in contact with the blank,thus assuring proper alignment of the abutting edges of the foldedblank. I

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine of the above typein which fiber blanks may be fed in rapid succession and which willperform automatically all operations necessary to produce a completecarton in flat condition.

. While the invention includes the combined instrumentalities abovementioned, I wish it to be understood that I consider the aforesaidmeans not only combinatively novel, but insofar as I am aware, certainof the devices going to make up such means are new in less combinationsthan the whole and some capable of individual use, as will more clearlyappear hereinafter.

Other more specific objects and advantages of the invention will beapparent to persons skilled in the art as the same becomes betterunderstood 7 by reference to the following description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, in

which I have illustrated one practical embodiment of the invention, andwherein:

Figures 1 is a. right-hand side elevation of the machine. 5

Figure 2 is a plan view of the machine.

Figure 3 represents a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1 showing thestarting position ofmechanism which completes the folding of the blank.

Figure 4 represents a section on line 44 of 10 Figurel showing thelongitudinal scoring and slotting knives in contact with the paper blankand, also, showing .the completion of the first folding operation.

Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 show the condition of 15' the blank assuccessive operations are performed to complete the box in fiatcondition.

Figure 5 shows the blank after the transverse scoring operation. IFigure 6 shows the blank after the longitudinal 20 scoring and slottingoperation.

Figure 7 shows the blank after the first'folding operation is completed,said folding operation a being performed while the longitudinal scoringmeans is in contact with the blank. 25

Figure 8 shows the blank after the completion of the second foldingoperation. Figure 9 shows the completed box after the taping operation.

Similar numerals refer to the similar throughout the several views.

- Referring first to Figures -1 and 2, the different parts or members ofthe machine are mounted on suitable sideframes'l and 2 connected bycrossbars 3 and 4, which constitute the framework of 35 the machine. YMounted in' sideframes i and 2 is a power shaft 5 which is caused torotate by any suitable power means not necessary to describe.

The conveyor belts 6 and! are driven-by the 40 parts 30 I action ofrolls 8, 9 and lll'which are driven at practically uniform peripheralspeed, from power shaft 5, by gearing not necessary to illustrate.

In the operation of the machine a paper blank H is fed from supply stackI2 to the conveyor 45 belts 6 and! by means of feeding roll l3 which isdriven from power shaft 5 by gearing not necessary to illustrate. Thepaper blank II is carried .by conveyor belts 6 and l' which pass betweenrolls I 4 and I5 supported by sideframes l and 2, 50

the lower lol1 l5 being of any known type to effect printing, usually atpredetermined intervals, on the lower surfaceof the blank ll. The nextunit comprises an oven I 6 supported by sideframe's I and 2, said oven.when in use 55 5 printing is being effected.

The next unit comprises means for transversely scoring the blank H asshown in Figure 5. The transverse scoring knives i1 and I8 are fastenedto scoring head 19 which is caused to move up by sideframes l and 2. Thelower ends of arms 20 and 2| are connected by link 22 with crank onshaft 25 which is caused to Operate by means of pulley or sprocket 24which is mounted on shaft 25, said pulley or sprocket 24 is connected bya belt or chain 28 with pulley or sprocket 21 which is mounted on shaft28. Fixed on shaft 28 is a pulley or sprocket 38 which is caused torotate by means of belt or driven by pulley or sprocket 58 mounted onpower shaft 5.

The next unit comprises means for slotting,

scoring and folding. The slotting and scoring knives 3i, 32 and 33 arefastened to heads 34, 35 and 3B which are caused to move up and down byarms 31 and 38 which are supported by sideframes I and 2. The lower endsof arms 31 and 3a are connected by links as and 40 to cranks 4| and 42which are caused to operate by rotation of shaft 28. The lower end ofarms 31 and 38 are connected by the ends of levers 43 and 44 mounted onshaft 45 which supports levers '46 and 41 which act through links 48 and49 to produce a rocking action to shafts 58 and 5|. Folder arms 52 and53 mounted at the ends of shafts 50 and 5| are so mounted and shaped asto bend the two edge sections of blank H upwardly to about 90 degreesfrom the horizontal plane. This folding operation is done while theheads 34 and and 35 are in their lowest position and while the scoringknives are in contact with the blank H.

The partly folded ,blank II is carried by conveyor belts 6 and 1 to aposition between folding arms 54 and 55 which act on the partly foldedblank to complete the folds by bending the two edges of the blanktowards each other so that when this operation is completed the edges ofblank I l are in abutted condition.

The blank I l is carried from the slotting, scoring and folding unit, byconveyor belts 8 and 1 to a taping unit 58. which applies a strip oftape '51 to the abutting edges of folded blank Having now described myinvention, 1 claim:

1. The method of making paper cartons by a sequence of operationsconsisting of feeding a paper blank to a carrier, printing the blank,rapidly drying the printing, transversally scoring the blank,longitudinally slotting and scoring the blank in one operation, partlyfolding the side portions of the blank while the longitudinally scoringmeans is in contact with the blank, folding thesaid side portions of theblank towards each other until the edges of said side portions are inabutting position; applying a section of adhesively treated tape to theabutted edges of the blank.

2. The method of making paper cartons by a sequence of operationsconsisting of printing a blank, rapidly drying the printing,longitudinally slotting and scoring the blank in one operation, partlyfolding the side portions of the blank while the longitudinally scoringmeans isin contact with the blank, folding the said side portions ofchain 29 which is 7 portions of the the blank towards each other untilthe edges of said side portions are in abutting position, applying asection of adhesively treated tape to the abutted edges of the blank.

3. The method of making paper cartons by a sequence of operationsconsisting'of feeding a paper blank to a carrier, longitudinallyslotting and scoring the blank in one operation, partly folding the sideportions of the blank while the o and down by arms 20 and 2| which aresupported eration, partly folding the blank while the scoring means isin contact with the blank, folding the side portions of the blanktowards each other until the edges of said side portions are in abuttingposition, applying a section of adhesively treated tape to the abuttededges of the blank.

5. The method of making paper cartons by a sequence of operationsconsisting of feeding a paper blank to a carrier, printing the blank,simultaneously scoring and slotting the blank, partly folding the sideportions of the blank while the scoring means is in contact with theblank, folding the said side portions of the blank towards each other.until the edges of said blank are in abutting position, applying asection of adhesively treated tape to the abutted edges of the blank. I

6. The method of making paper cartons by a sequence of operationsconsisting-of printing a paper blank, simultaneously scoring andslotting and partly folding the side portions of the blank wards eachother until the edges of said blank are in abutting position, applying asection of adhesively treated tape to the abutted edges of the blank.

7. The method of making paper cartons by a sequence of operationsconsisting in feeding a paper blank to a carrier, printing the blank,scoring and slotting the blank while partly folding the side portionsthereof, folding said side portions of the blank to abutting position,applying a section of adhesively treated tape to the abutted edges ofthe blank.

8. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for causing blanksto travel, means for printing the blanks, heating means to dry theprinting, means, to transversally score each blank, reciprocally actingblank scoring and slotting means, blank folding arms co-acting with thescoring means to partly perform the folding operation while the scoringknives are in contact with the blank, mechanism to fold the side blanktowards each other until the edges of the blank are in abuttingposition, means to apply a section of adhesively treated tape to theabutted edges of the blank.

9. A machine for making paper cartons from blanks comprising means forprinting the blanks and heating means to dry the printing, means totransversally score each blank, blank scoring and slotting knivesmounted in a reciprocally acting platen, blank folding arms co-actingwith the scoring meanst-o partly perform the folding operation while theScoring knives are in contact with the blank, mechanism to fold the sideportions of thcblank towards each other until the one operation, blankfolding arms co-acting with the scoring means to partly perform thefolding 10 operation while the scoring knives are in contact with eachblank, mechanism to fold the side portions of the blank towards eachother until the edges of the blank are in abutting position, means toapply a section of adhesivly treated 15 tape to the abutted edges of theblank.

11. A machine for making paper cartons from blanks comprising means forprlnting'each blank, means for simultaneously scoring and slotting theblank, folding means co-acting with the scor- 20 ing means to partlyperform the folding operation while the scoring knives are in contactwith the blank, mechanism to fold the side portions of the blank towardseach other until the edges of the blanks are in abutting position, meansto 5 apply a section of adhesively treated tape to the abutted edges ofthe blank.

12. A machine for making paper cartons fromblanks comprising meansfor-causing blanks to travel, blank scoring and slotting knives mounted30 in a reciprocally acting platen, blank folding arms co-acting withthe scoring means to partly perform the folding operation while thescoring knives are in contact with each blank, mecha- 1 nism to fold theside'portions of the blank to- 35 wards each other until the edges ofthe blank are side portions of the blank in abutting position, means toapply a section oi.

- 'adhesively treated tape to the abutted edges of the blank.

13. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for simultaneouslyslotting and scoring each blank, blank folding arms co-acting f with thescoring .means to partly perform the folding operation while the scoringknives are in contact with the blank, mechanism to fold the tion, meansto apply .a' section of adhesively treated tape'to the abutted edges ofthe blank.

1 14. Apparatus of the class described compris ing reciprocally actingmeans for scoring blanks, means co-acting with said scoring means tobegin folding operations on the blanks while the scoring. means is incontact with the blanks, folding arms to bend the side portions oftheblanks towards each other until the side portions of the blanks are inabutted position.

Y 15. Apparatus of the class described comprising reciprocating scoringknives acting in lines perpendicular to the material to be folded, meansco-acting with said scoring means to fold the blank while the scoringmeans is in contact with .the material.

towards each otheruntil the edges of the blank are in abutting posi- 16.Apparatus of the class described compri'sing reciprocally actingslotting and scoring knives; means co-acting with said scoring knives tobegin folding operations on the material while the scoring knives are incontact with the material.

, v MELVIN H. SIDE'BOTHAM.

